


Spotting the Signs

by waterbird13



Series: Tumblr Fics [347]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Panic Attack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2016-12-01
Packaged: 2018-09-03 11:32:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8710972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waterbird13/pseuds/waterbird13
Summary: Cas knows the signs very well by now.





	

Cas has learned to spot the signs. He wishes he couldn’t, because that means he has _practice_ , and that this happens far too often. But it does happen, and at least he knows what to do, and how to help Sam to the best of his ability.

“Sam?” he asks when Sam’s breathing gets too fast. He’s sweating, his eyes are losing focus. In a moment he will start to shake, and Cas won’t let this go any further without intervention. 

He should have known earlier that this may happen, but sometimes these attacks just sneak up on Sam. No one can predict them, no one can stop them. They just have to ride them out.

“Sam?” he says again, stepping closer, but not touching Sam. “Sam, can you hear me? Let’s sit down, okay?”

He repeats it four more times before guiding Sam to the couch, sitting him down. At least he can’t fall down, then. Cas sits next to him.

“Sam? Sam, you’re okay. Everything is going to be okay. I need you to breathe with me Sam, alright? Follow my breathing.” Cas begins to take deep, exaggerated, loud breaths. It takes Sam a moment to catch on, to be able to try to match the rhythm, but eventually he gets it, and that’s when Cas feels some of his own tension release. Things are improving.

It takes another ten minutes or so before Sam seems to come down from the worst of it. He practically collapses against Cas, but Cas is there, ready to catch him.

“You’re okay,” he murmurs, stroking Sam’s sweaty hair away from his face. “You’re going to be okay.”

Sam nods shakily. “Sorry,” he mumbles.

“Don’t apologize,” Cas says firmly. Anxiety attacks are things that happen, and not in the least Sam’s fault. Cas knows this, and he just wishes Sam accepted it too.

“You want me to get you some water? Maybe move to bed?” Cas asks after a few minutes, when the shaking has mostly stopped and he thinks it will be okay to ask Sam.

Sam hesitates–Cas knows he hates admitting how hard these hit him, how he needs to recuperate after, but that doesn’t make it any less true–but eventually he nods. So Cas helps him up to bed and helps Sam strip down to his underwear before handing him his soft, broken-in pajama pants. While Sam gets situated in bed, Cas goes to get him a glass of water.

Sam takes the glass gratefully, and Cas climbs into bed, sitting against the headboard and stroking Sam’s hair. Sam sets the almost empty glass aside and closes his eyes.

“Sleep, Sam,” Cas murmurs. “I’ll be here.”

It takes a few minutes, but Sam’s eyes drift closed and he sleeps. In sleep, his face evens out, the last of the terrible anxiety drifting away for the time being, and Cas lets his tension ease away along with it, relieved to see Sam doing better.


End file.
